The Learning Curve
by Kid A1
Summary: The Z Senshi force the cyborg twins to go to high school... Juunanagou gets a girlfriend... and discovers truly disturbing things about human nature. Please go easy on me since this was one of the earlier fics I wrote.
1. School

The learning curve ****

The learning curve

A Dragonball Z fanfiction by LadyRivka

__

Prologue

Two years had passed since the end of the Cell Game, and Juunanagou and Juuhachigou, 

revived without their self-destruct bombs, were living in the attic of the Kame House.

"Why in God's name did they make us go to high school, anyway?" whined Juunanagou.

"Listen, it's a good idea," replied his sister confidently. "Kuririn says we should learn to act like 

normal humans our biological age if we want to live on Earth unmolested."

"And you're just believing him because you're going out with him."

"No I'm not! I'm looking forward to tomorrow...except I have to wear this uniform from hell. 

Don't they know fashion when they see it?"

"Should they care if it's fashionable? We're supposedly there to learn, not to shop! But I don't 

know if we're going to learn anything...everything might be a repetition of our programming..."

"I highly doubt it. Gero, damn him, would have never wanted this for us. All he wanted us to be 

were his goddamn little puppets. Not normal teenagers, no less high-school students."

"I see. You have a quite valid point there. Now, I have to go try on my uniform..." 

Chapter 1

****

Juunanagou

My sister and I arrived at Green Meadows High School to much fanfare, partially because we had 

arrived on a stolen motorcycle. A bunch of human girls were standing on the curb and waving at me, 

giggling, God knows what for. We made our way into the school, both looking for the first class, called 

"study hall".

"Let's see here... Room 114B..."

"Why don't you ask for directions, Juunana?"

"Shut up!" If there was one thing I hated about my sister, it was her insistence I be like her.

"Then I will. Excuse me," she said to a boy passing in the hallway, "can you give us directions to Room 

114B? We're the new students here."

"It's up the stairs over there and to the left. You can't miss it!"

"Thanks."

We climbed up the stairs, racing each other to the top.

"Ha ha, you can't climb, sucker!"

"Juunana, would you shut up? You are such a little kid sometimes..."

Finally, after much arguing, we got to the top of the flight of stairs. 

There, to our immediate left, was Room 114B. I scanned the room for data about its occupants before I 

dared enter.

Hmm. Interesting. 24 adolescents, most clustered in groups. One adult. Paper airplanes flying all over 

the place.

Juuhachi, more confident than I, had already entered the room and was chatting with a group of girls.

Slowly, I entered. It wasn't as unusual as my data had indicated. My eyes fixated on a black-haired girl 

with some kind of flat, foldable board with figurines placed upon it in the corner. She was alone and 

humming to herself.

Slowly, I approached her.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing to the board and figurines on the floor.

"It's chess, silly," she replied.

"Chess..."

"I'll teach you how to play."

"What is chess?"

"It's kind of a war game. The object is," she said lifting up a tall figurine with a cross at the top, "to 

capture your enemy's king. That's called 'checkmate'. When your king is in danger of being captured, 

that's 'check'. You can also capture your enemy's pieces, and they are worth points. In case of a tie, 

the winner is determined by the point value of the pieces he or she has captured."

A war game. With capturing and killing, right and left.

This girl was speaking my language.

****

Cipu

"So, kid," I said to the boy facing me with his long jet-black hair tied neatly back in a ponytail, revealing 

two gold hoop earrings, "does chess interest you?"

"Sure. Let's play." He smirked, like he somehow knew he was going to beat me.

"Remember," I said demonstrating with each piece, "the knights go one, two, and over. You can only 

move your pawns two spaces forward on their first move, and, after that one space forward, unless 

your pawn is attacking another piece. Then you move it one space diagonal. Bishops always go 

diagonal. Rooks can only go horizontal or vertical. The king can move one space in any direction, but 

the queen is the best piece. She can move in any direction, any number of spaces... Are you paying 

attention?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to process all this."

"Do you want to be white or black? White always goes first."

"Then, I'll be black," he said in a rather underhanded tone of voice.

I moved one of my pawns out first. He counterattacked with one of his...

Before I knew it, he yelled, "Checkmate".

Checkmate? In only five moves? Impossible! It must be beginner's luck.

"You want to play again?"

"Sure."

Surely enough, five moves later, he had captured my king.

Wow, how is he doing this?

We played two more rounds, and he always checkmated me in less than ten moves.

That guy was amazing.

Suddenly, one of the popular girls walked toward us.

"Hey, what's a hot guy like you doing playing a geeky game like chess?"

"Buzz off," he told her. "I enjoy chess."

"But wouldn't you rather play sports?"

"No. I. Enjoy. Chess." He pointed his finger at her. This was getting weird.

"What are you pointing at me for?"

"Heh heh... Wouldn't you like to know." He smirked.

The bell rang. I yelled to the boy, "My name's Cipu. Deida Cipu. It's been a pleasure playing against 

you. What's your name?"

The boy, standing by the door, grinned, and said, "I don't have a name."

****

Juunanagou

Finally, a break from studying. "Lunch", they called it. All of the humans were eating this food that 

looked like it came from the depths of Hell. Juuhachi and I were working on our homework from that 

morning.

"You know, I consider myself lucky to be a cyborg here. We don't have to eat that "gelatin surprise" 

stuff, thank God," she said.

"Yeah, but we'll look weird if we don't eat."

"We can always say we're not hungry. With the crap they serve here, they'll believe us."

A loud crash startled Juuhachi and I from our conversation. The girl I had played chess against earlier 

that morning was being thrashed against the wall. Should I care? Should I get involved?

My sister stood up.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed.

The head girl said, "Nice comment coming from a girl with no taste in shoes. Miss Mary-Jane Loser!"

I know my sister, and one thing you don't do to her if you want to live, is to insult her fashion sense.

"Okay, pal, you're going to get it!"

"Ooooh. Blondie's going to give it to me. I'm scaaared."

Her friends giggled. Juuhachi ran towards her, and punched her really hard in the gut.

Her friends stopped giggling. The lunch monitor, seeing the fight, approached my sister.

"You! Blond-haired girl! Go to the principal's office! NOW!"

"Shut up."

"Don't talk back to ME, young lady. Now MARCH!"

Juuhachi, surprisingly, did what she was told.

I remained there for a while, working on calculus.

The Cipu girl was in pretty bad shape. I walked over there, and asked her, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Do you want me to help you up?" God, why was I being nice to a lowly human? 

"Sure. What class do you have next period?"

"Physical...education."

"Me too!" I lifted her up. She wobbled a bit on one of her legs, but regained her balance.

"See you next period," I said.


	2. Gym Class

The Learning Curve

The Learning Curve

Chapter 2

****

Cipu

It was a typical first-five-weeks girl's gym class at Green Meadows High School. Sex ed., more sex ed., and more sex ed. I've heard so damn much about what the stupid coach calls "Aunt Flo", I'm going to puke. Why does she have to refer to periods like that? Does she think we're stupid? All I know is, only the girls get subjected to the Sex Ed. torment. The guys- well, the guys usually play soccer or touch football or something. But we have to change into our jerseys and bloomers, just the same. Just to sit there and re-learn about the, ahem, female cycle. Like we've never seen a pad or tampon in our lives. Why don't they just buckle down and get to "where babies come from", huh? Around here they seem to think girls have the intellect of kindergartners, anyway.

Well, today, we were lucky. The coach's little disgusting lecture was over fifteen minutes early, so we were ordered to sit and watch the guys play soccer.

I don't really take notice of the guys' class that often, but, playing offense, I saw the long-haired boy that beat me at chess and helped me up after my thrashing, the guy with the number "17" on the back of his gym jersey. The popular girls were just staring at him, drooling. But, then again, they stare and drool at anything that moves on two legs and reeks of testosterone. God, my lab mice are smarter than they are. The normal ones, that is. 

The ball was passed to the guy-with-the-17-on-the-back-of-his-jersey - oh, hell, I'll just call him "what's-his-name" for short- and he was very adept in his handling of the ball and kicking, almost catlike in his movements and reflexes. "What's-his-name" was ganged up on by members of the other team's defense, but he didn't care. He just stood motionless for a while, the ball near his feet, and flicked his right earring.

The next thing I knew, he was standing by the goal with the ball, about to score. No one could touch him. He kicked it hard in, and...

GOAL!

The popular girls were looking at him all googly-eyed, like he was a celebrity or something. The other guys just stood there, scratching their heads in amazement. 

"Crap, that kid's weird", I overheard one of his classmates say to another.

"I'll say, but maybe he should try out for the team! He's amazing!"

I have to agree with that sentiment. There was something about him, something unusual. But I couldn't quite place what...

Maybe I should observe him more.

They guys' class, done with their soccer game, walked by us. 

"What's-his-name" glanced over in my general direction.

"Umm... hi. You did a nice job with that goal," I said hesitatingly.

"Thanks."

"Umm... do you want to meet me at my locker after school?"

"Are we going to play more chess?"

"If you want."

"Where is your locker?"

"You remember where first period study hall is? It's right around there, locker number 1030."

"Okay, see you then." He walked away.

I staggered back to the girls' locker room, knowing I had to change back into my uniform.

What was with that boy?

The thought cycled over and over in my head. Sadly, the more I thought about it, the less apparent the answer seemed.

I folded up my jersey and bloomers, put them in my gym locker, and pulled on my skirt and blouse.

God, I have to stop thinking about "What's-his-name" and prepare my brain for literature next period. Calm down, Cipu. It's not the end of the world... it's just another guy.


	3. Competition

The Learning Curve

The Learning Curve

Chapter 3

****

Juunanagou

Well, here I am. Locker 1030, like she said. But she's not here yet...

Wonder where she could be.

Then I saw her run, faint of breath, up a flight of stairs.

"Sorry, kid. Important phone call."

"From whom?"

"My mentor, Bulma Briefs. Of Capsule Corporation. She just called to check on how the project's going."

Bulma...Briefs? Project? What was going on with this Cipu girl?

"Umm... what project?"

"Let me show you... but first, if you'll excuse me, I need to get my homework out of my locker." She marched toward the spot I was standing. "Excuse me, please...", she growled.

I moved. She opened her locker, got a couple of books off the top shelf, and an unusual-looking roll of paper from the tall bottom compartment.

Near us, or, rather, below us, I could hear the sound of a portable phone ringing.

"Oh, crap, gotta run. Bulma said she'd call me back..."

She gathered up all of her books, except for the mysterious roll of paper, and ran down the stairs in a huff.

"Hey, wait... You forgot these!"

But it was too late. She was gone.

****

Cipu

It was Bulma again, on the phone.

"Hey, Cipu, how's the project coming..."

"Good. I can't thank you enough for the plans for Artificial Human #17 you gave me. They were a big help!"

"Thanks. How are your mice testing out with their new modified eternal energy reactors?"

"Good, good. Their maze-running times have increased by an average of two seconds! And the control mice can't even begin to catch up!"

"Do they remember the outline of the maze, or what other mice look like?"

"Yes. That was one of the big flaws with Dr. Gero's old model- long-term memory loss. The long-term memory system could be reconstructed from the point of reactor insertion into the organism, but everything before that was lost."

"Very good. I hope you win... Oops, gotta go, Trunks is getting into mischief again..."

"He always does."

"Are you available to baby-sit next weekend? Dad and I have to go to a conference."

"Maybe, it depends on how far I make it. Semifinals are that weekend."

"Oh. Bye!"

"Bye, Bulma."

I hung up.

Now, to get down to business.

Okay, Mouse 001. Easy does it, don't bite me little fella...

Into the maze you go!

I started my stopwatch.

Wow! 5.3 seconds!

The cybernetic mice keep on getting faster and faster.

Now for Mouse 002. Control.

Again, I started my stopwatch.

The mouse kind of got lost in the nooks and crannies of the maze. I had to re-route him with my hand, like so many times before. After 20.2 seconds, he finally got to the end of the maze.

When I was putting him back in his cage, a voice startled me from the doorway.

"Excuse me, Cipu?"

"Yes?" It was "What's-his-name", with the plans for #17 in his hand.

"You dropped this." 

****

Juunanagou

Cipu walked toward me.

"Thank you! Thank you! I was wondering where these got to..."

"Hey, what's with the mice? And all these machines?"

"This is my laboratory. The principal had the science department build it for me. I was picked to represent Green Meadows in the International High School Science Colloquium. My project is on the effects of a modified eternal energy reactor and accompanying circuitry on mice- physically and mentally."

I was speechless.

Mice in the same damned situation as I am? A girl in high school, designing cyborgs?

Finally, I got up the nerve to ask a question.

"Why did you pick this project? You could have done chemistry or physics or something."

"I've been obsessed with computers and cybernetics since I was a young girl. When all the other kids were playing in the sandbox, I was experimenting with other silicon products, like integrated circuits and chips of one sort or another. My mother, a doctor, introduced me to the wonders of biology and physiology, and the beauty of the body. I guess you could say my twin interests culminated in these mice..."

If I had told her who I was, and who Juuhachi was, it'd be "twin interests" indeed.

"...That and Bulma. Thank God she found those plans, or else I never would have gotten started. I kept staring at them, for three months straight, late into the night. Dr. Gero was a genius, but he was no scientist. A scientist would use his or her knowledge to help humanity, not harm it. Especially those poor kids Dr. Briefs told me about... why in God's name would someone take a pair of teenagers, like you or me, erase everything they knew and loved, and turn them into cyborgs? Just to fight for a dead military coup? God, it makes me sick!"

"Me too," I mumbled. She had no idea of the scars that old bastard left in me... hell, she had no idea who I was...

She slowly unrolled the paper.

I couldn't believe what I read at the top in bold print...

Jinzouningen Juunanagou. Artificial Human #17.

The plans for me.

****

Cipu

"What's-his-name" just sat there and stared off into space, like he'd just seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"How do you mean, secret?"

"A really important one that you can't tell the rest of the school. Or else." He smirked.

My stomach twisted in knots. "G-g-go ahead..."

"You know those blueprints you got from Capsule Corporation?"

"Yeah..."

"Those are mine."

"How do you mean, yours?"

"As in my name is Jinzouningen Juunanagou, #17. I was one of the kids Gero's scheming for world domination ruined... The blond girl you see hanging around me sometimes in the hall is my twin sister, also one of Gero's pawns, Jinzouningen Juuhachigou, #18."

My jaw dropped, and all the blood ran from my face. "I-I don't believe you. You look so...normal. So...human."

"Did you see me beat you at chess four times in study hall?"

"Yeah."

"Did you see me move instantly in phys. Ed. to get the ball into the goal?"

"Yeah."

"Did you see my sister punch one of the popular girls to kingdom come?"

"Yes."

"So why don't you believe me?" His brows furrowed.

"You were nice to me. The cyborgs Bulma told me about were soulless killing machines."

"I guess I took pity on you. You are in a similar situation as we are. Someone always wants to control you, beat you up, thrash you around. You are alone here, as are my sister and I. Alone, with no one to understand you... alone, that is, until I found you. You didn't stick me into a hole and define who I am. Only I can do that. When I wanted to play chess, you let me."

"I-I believe you now." I was almost on the verge of tears. Damn Dr. Gero! 

Calm down, Cipu. Scientists don't cry. They analyze.

And analyze this cyborg, #17, I shall.

"Do you want to come back to the lab tonight? We can play more chess, maybe help each other with some homework... What do you say?"

"How are you going to get in?"

"The principal gave me a key, silly!"

"Oh. See you tonight, then."

He was right where I wanted him.

Sucker.


	4. Kiss

The Learning Curve ****

The Learning Curve

Chapter 4

****

Cipu

God, it's 6:30.

No sign of Juunanagou. Oh, well, better see if the machines are in working order…

EKG…Check. EEG… Check. Computer analysis system… Check. Energy reactor monitor, rearranged for a humanoid subject…Check.

Running virus scan on lab…No viruses found.

Then I heard a knock at the door.

"Open up! It's me, Juunana!"

I rushed towards the door.

This is going to be the greatest experiment in history!

****

Juunanagou

Cipu stood there, wearing a nervous smile on her face, breathing hard. Her purple bandanna was almost falling off her head from her sweat.

"Come on in, Juu-kun. Umm… what do you want to do?"

"I want to play chess."

"Umm…maybe later. You mind if I show you around the lab?"

"Nah. Do you have homework you can do?"

"Oh, yeeeaaaah… forgot about that." She took her calculus book out of her bookbag and started to work on tonight's assignment.

Then I noticed the cage with the artificial mice in it was left unlocked. I stuck my hand in, hoping to get to know one of the little fellows like me.

Sure enough, up climbed a mouse. He was nervous and twitchy.

"Are these mice supposed to be all hyperactive like this?"

"The mice!?! Don't touch them! Put him back!" she growled.

"Umm…sorry." 

She put her calculus homework away. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" She smirked, the kind of smirk that I usually only see in the mirror.

Oh, crap.

What was I in for?

"Please remove your bandanna and shirts. The reason I asked you here tonight is so I can perform some tests on you."  
**Cipu**

Panic seized his face. He stripped, hesitatingly.

"Don't worry. It's not going to hurt."

He just stared at me, as if I came from the depths of Hell or something.

Then it hit me. God, I was turning into Gero Junior!

What was I thinking, causing more pain to this already wretched being?

Baka Cipu! Baka! Baka!

I was so mad at myself, I started to cry. I ran towards him, resting my tear-strewn face on his bare shoulder.

"Juu-kun," I whispered. "I'm sorry…"

****

Juunanagou

First she wants to make me a friggin' experiment, and now she's crying on my shoulder?

Humans are so capricious.

"Sorry…so sorry…" she sobbed. "I wasn't thinking."

Nice excuse, I thought.

****

Cipu

I felt so close to him at that moment. I wrapped my arms around his bare back, feeling the absolute torment that his condition had left him in. It buried itself through layers of tissues and circuitry, right down to his core. I could feel it screaming, even though he tried to struggle to escape my grip.

Then I realized something, something that was the most important conclusion of my short sixteen years.

__

There's still a boy in there. 

And I have to release him, even if it kills me.

****

Juunanagou

Why was she touching me like this? 

I had to escape. Somehow.

Maybe I didn't.

Should I fight? Flee?

Or stand back and enjoy the ride?

My left arm quivered. It moved up towards her head, as if it had a mind of its own.

I tried to keep it down, but to no avail.

Was I going haywire? Or was it something different, that I'm not used to feeling?

It gently removed the bandanna she wore, and started stroking her hair. A sudden thought came into my head… 

I wish I could feel this, her hair. It'd probably be one of the most beautiful sensations on earth.

Was I losing my mind?

Then I looked over at her, sobbing.

The more I stroked her hair, the more she relaxed.

She let go of my back, and stared straight up into my face.

****

Cipu

God, I was such a fool. Why didn't I notice him before? Was I blinded by science?

So beautiful, inside and out, almost devastatingly handsome. His hair, which flicked with every grimace…his intellect…his cute smile.

Maybe I was taking pity on him, and seeing him through rose-colored glasses.

No, no. It was…something. I guess now, since I had lost my cold scientific exterior, was I truly able to see who he was. 

****

Juunanagou

She kept looking up at me.

There was something about her, something I've never felt before.

Her black eyes sparkled with leftover tears. Her hair was disheveled, but aesthetically pleasing.

She was… beautiful.

She inched towards me, and I reciprocated, as if we were being pulled together by some strange force.

I felt the need to hold her, God knows why.

We inched even closer. 

Then it happened. 

We…kissed.

****

Cipu

That kiss felt like forever.

Around us, stars were being formed. A new Universe took shape. Time came to a screeching halt.

Everything was nothing. Nothing was everything.

Information flowed between us, who we were, who we are, all that we'll ever be. It was contained in that kiss.

I wonder if he can feel this. I hope he can. I pray that he can.

Then, we withdrew from each other and hugged.

Why did I kiss him? Why did he kiss me?

The answer was obvious.

We were together in being alone in this world.

****

Juunanagou

"Excuse me, but can I get my shirts back on?"

"Sure."

I put my white undershirt back on, then the black one, and, finally, the bandanna.

"See you tomorrow." I left.

Maybe this is the "love" thing my sister keeps talking about…

Except Cipu isn't bald.

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	5. Philosophy

The Learning Curve

The Learning Curve

Chapter 5

****

Juunanagou

8 P.M.

Working on homework. 

My sister was laying on the couch while I was tackling a logic problem in my philosophy text:

All humans are mortal.

George is not mortal.

Therefore...

I knew the answer was supposed to be "George is not human," but what did the author know? If I were truly human, was I supposed to die? If I couldn't die, which I knew, I wasn't human. What was I? Some damned intermediary? May Kami-sama damn you, Gero... Why do I live in this cursed body? Why are the fates so cruel to my sister and I? Why?

My insides are screaming for an answer, an answer far more complex than any textbook can give.

Usually I enjoy doing homework. Every calculus problem I solve, every essay I write, is a revolution against the son-of-a-bitch who made my sister and I who we are.

I don't understand why humans complain about homework so much. Maybe it's because it's their powers-that-be. But we, my sister and I, have higher authorities which we rebel against.

Now to put philosophy to rest for a while...

Ahh. Calculus.

Integrate 2x +1.

I snatch the controller away from his hand.

Integrate 3x2 +4x +36.

I smash it to bits.

Integrate 4x3 + 43x+ 22.

I kick off Gero's God-forsaken head and smash it.

This feels good.

A sigh of relief escapes my lips. Juuhachi hears me.

"What's the matter with you?"

"I'm just enjoying my homework."

"There's something more to that sigh..."

I couldn't hide it from her any longer, especially since she had felt love- I think it was love- longer than I had.

"Juuhachi, what does love feel like?"

"You mean between me and Kuririn? Why do you want to know... Ohhhh... there's a girl, isn't there? You lady-killer, you." She laughed, whether it was at her own comment or my misfortune, I don't know.

"Yes."

"Well, love is... love is... well, it's hard to explain. You have to feel it for yourself. Believe me, you know when it happens."

"How did you know that you were in love with Kuririn?"

"I knew it when I started being nice to the guy. I felt more...well, human around him. It felt like everything he did was for me."

Truer words had never been spoken.

I realized I was in love with Cipu.

"So, Juunana, who's the lucky girl?"

"Deida...Cipu."

My sister looked at me in horror.

"The one they call 'Mad-Scientist-Girl'? Oh, Kami-sama, Juunana, you can do better than her..."

"Popularity has gone to your head, Sis."

Juuhachi growled at me.

"Well, think of it this way... If the girls you hung out with were to find out about who you really were, you'd be in the same situation as Cipu and I. Nobodies."

Juuhachi's face began to soften.

"Sorry, I won't criticize her, if you don't criticize Kuririn. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

At least for now. I don't know if Kuririn is going to revert to his goody-goody Shaolin self, recognize that he used to think we were his enemy, and try to destroy us or something.

I just don't trust him.

Oh, God... now I know how my sister feels. About Kuririn. About my new interest. Although in reverse.

We are cast from the same goddamn mold, she and I. I see it when I look at her, born together, condemned together, stuck together for all eternity.

My sister.

I really need to cut her some slack, as she does me.

Maybe I should stop with her and Kuririn.

Now back to homework...

Is George human? Or does anyone in the Universe give a damn?

****

Cipu

Wow.

I can't believe it. I kissed a creation of Dr. Gero.

No, I have to stop thinking of him like that. I kissed a boy.

I'm beside myself with glee. A guy...would... actually be interested in me? The "Mad Scientist Nerd" of Green Meadows?

My mom noticed my exuberance upon walking home from her family-practice shift. "Cipu-sama, what are you so happy about?"

"Mom, promise you won't go ballistic?"

"Yes, dear."

"I met a boy!"

"Really..." She was giving me that "underhanded-Mom-look".

I gulped hard. "We kissed! It was wonderful!"

My mom scowled for a minute, then said, "Well...my little girl's growing up."

"Is it okay if I ask him out on a date tomorrow?"

"Where to?"

"The arcade, two blocks from here."

"That's not bad, sweetie. Do you two have any...ahem...plans other than that?"

Typical overprotective mom. "No, Mother."

"Good. I want you to be home by 9 PM tomorrow, that's when I have my ER shift."

"Okay, Mom."

"Have fun!"

I retired to my bedroom, changed into my pajamas, and stayed up half the night, doing homework and looking at #17's blueprints.

But I didn't see reactors and circuits and wires.

I saw a boy...and a realization of what I wanted to be.

I was sick of being in this weak body, so full of pain and torment, being mastered by fickle emotions. I was sick of being defenseless, alone.

I wanted desperately to make myself into a cyborg.

I'll start the blueprint-drawing tomorrow.


	6. Lust

The learning Curve

The learning Curve

Chapter 6

****

Cipu

Here we are again, first-period study hall, Juu-kun and I, playing chess.

I still can't believe he could kiss me like that. I mean, God, he's a cyborg! Are they supposed to know how to kiss, to feel love, to be a person?

I had to really consider this before I started drawing up the plans for New Cipu. Was I still a person if I had circuits, wires, and reactors in me? 

Juu-kun had accomplished this amazing feat, evolving from the puppet of Dr. Gero into a full-fledged... person.

I didn't know if I could do the same. Maybe it's possible with the modified reactor for me to keep my identity, my memories, myself.

God, Cipu! Concentrate on chess for once! Your cyborgation will come later...

I moved my queen out to capture one of his pawns, placing him in check. He saw through this, and moved his king to capture my queen.

The next thing he said shocked me.

"Let's forget about chess for a while," he said.

****

Juunanagou

"Wha-what do you want to talk about?" she said.

"I've thought about last night. My sister and I talked, and I realize that I'm in love with you. I've never felt love before, it's new to me, but I know I love you."

"Thank you. And I want to apologize for how I treated you last night."

"Huh?"

"The experimentation crap. I was thinking of you as just another lab mouse to toy with. Then I thought, 'God, I'm being Dr. Gero'. Then I got so mad at myself..."

Her face tensed with pure rage.

"It's okay."

"It's not okay! Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with research that I can't see people for who or what they are. Such was your case. Thank Kami-sama I snapped out of it."

"Calm down, Cipu." My hand stroked hers. "You are a brilliant scientist, and as such, I want you to do something for me."

Her expression grew more serious. "What?"

"Fix me. Make me normal again."

"I can't do that. Cybernetics is a relatively new field, but it does have its laws. The First Law is the Law of Biotic Variation, which states that all cyborgs are different from each other, due to their biological components. The Second Law is the Law of Creators. It states that only a cyborg's creator can make repairs or modifications to him or her. Also, if I attempt fitting you with one of my modified reactors, I have to turn your original eternal energy reactor off for a few minutes, and there is a great chance that your biological components will...die."

"Thank you for informing me," I said, " but that's not what I meant. I want you to make me feel normal again, like you did last night."

She pondered for a minute and said, "Ohhh..."

I leaned in towards her beautiful face, black eyes snapping; raven-black hair styled just so with two star-shaped barrettes. My mouth opens, and she responds in kind. We kiss, ever so gently, ever so slowly, as if there was nothing around us but eternity. I force my insensate skin to feel this, making a hallucination of it. What's that saying? "Mind over matter".

This is perfection, but it is soon interrupted by the whiz of a flying pencil.

"OWWW!" Cipu screams.

"What's going on?"

"They always do this to me. They sharpen pencils sometimes, and play 'target practice' with me. I try to dodge the pencils, but they usually get me, somehow."

Oh, Kami-sama, leave the poor girl alone!

I may be semi-mechanical, but I am not as cold as these bastards who intend to harm this girl are. My love.

More pencils come flying, as do the taunts of "What are you going to do now? Create androids to rule the world?" "Gero Junior!" "Geek!" "Go to Hell, nerd!" "I want you to die!"

I have no choice. I stand up, flick my earring in order to move faster than usual, and capture all of the pencils being aimed at Cipu.

The rest of the class, except Juuhachi, just stares in amazement.

The main popular girl- I think my sister said her name was Nuriko- yelled, "God, you're a handsome boy, why would you defend a worthless, piece-of-crap geek like HER?"

"Because I want to." I raised my hand, ready to offer Nuriko an energy blast. "Got a problem with that?"

"N-no..."

"Good."

I returned to playing chess with Cipu.

Upon sitting down, Cipu asks me, "Would you like to go out with me this evening?"

"Where to?"

'The arcade."

"Which arcade?"

"The one within walking distance of Green Meadows, the one by the fresh-fruit stand."

"Yeah... that one. I'll go, on one condition."

"What?"

"We're not going to play any wimpy games like pinball or electronic bowling."

"Agreed. I wanted to check out the new Virtual Motorbike game, anyway...I like those kind of games, shoot-'em-ups aren't bad either."

The bell sounded.

"See you tonight, Cipu."

"Later."

I arrived at the Kame House to find out that my sister had gotten home before me.

"Hey, lover-boy," she teased. "How's your date going to be tonight?"

"Shut up! How do you know?"

"Overheard the two of you in class."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, I've picked you up some new clothes at the mall. I had to get some new shoes anyway, and so I thought, 'Hey, why don't I pick up Juu-kun something nice for him to wear on his little date?' So I got you a denim shirt and a pair of khakis."

She showed them to me.

"Sis, you've always had excellent taste in clothes."

"Well, thanks. I should take that as a genuine compliment coming from you. Why don't you try them on?"

"Okay."

While I struggled to put the pants on (I'm not used to wearing dress pants), Juuhachi yelled, "C'mon out! I want to see what my brother, that little lover-boy, looks like!"

"Just a second."

I pranced in front of her in my new clothes. They fit perfectly, even though the pants were a bit snug at first.

"My, you look quite handsome! My brother, the lady-killer!" She laughed.

"Aw, shut up."

"No, I'm serious. You look good in that."

I hope I can impress Cipu in this. I really do.

****

Cipu

Okay, it's 4:30.

I've rushed through my homework half-mindedly, started my New Cipu blueprints, and now is the Hour of Doom.

I have to find something nice, but comfortable, to wear to the arcade.

All I could see were old school uniforms and tons of lavender T-shirts and black skirts. 

Then I saw it.

The floral jumper my mom gave me for my birthday last year. It still fit.

I slipped it and its accompanying white T-shirt on, leaving on my white socks and purple hi-tops for casuality.

Now for the hair.

Ah, yes. The purple headband.

Perfect.

I hope he likes my clothes. I hope we have fun at the arcade.

What am I worried about? He's not one of those self-centered popular guys who only dates you because you're pretty or rich or something. He's Juunanagou, a lonely cyborg boy who is crazy-mad about me. Because I am me.

Well, still I pray...

************************************************************************

****

Juunanagou

Well, she isn't here yet.

But I did have some fun in the interim- I wanted to get a nice car for her, so I went out hunting for a human with a nice convertible. When I found him, I pointed my .45 at him and asked to hand the car over. He protested, but I kept shoving the gun against his skull. He soon got the message. I got behind the wheel and speeded away.

Oh, here she comes... on a bike?

A bike? I could have picked her up in this car! Cars, as are my understanding, are female magnets! What the hell...?

"Hi, Juu-kun! Nice car!"

"Thanks, it's stolen!"

"How in the hell did you manage to do that?"

"Easy. I'm a cyborg. People are scared of me. I take what I want, and they run off and hide."

"Figures," she laughed. "Maybe you should have said you were a valet or something, that's what I would have done...if I wanted to steal a car."

"Why didn't you wait for me to pick you up?"

"I live only two blocks from here, baka. It's easier for me to ride a bike."

"Oh... You look beautiful tonight."

"You too. I love that shirt. It makes you look so..." She stopped short and blushed.

"So what?"

"So...so...sexy." She turned away from me. 

I didn't understand her. She said I was sexy, but she turned away, like she was scared or something.

Damned human emotions. I'll never understand them.

"Why did you turn away from me?"

"I was...embarrassed, that's all."

"What's embarrassed?"

'When you feel the world is crashing down on you, and all you want to do is run into a cave and hide."

"Oh. I see."

"Let's go in, sexy man," she grinned, holding out her hand.

My hand returned the favor, enmeshed in hers.

We entered the arcade.

__

Nuriko and company were standing outside the arcade, chatting. "This proves that Mad-Scientist and that hot guy are an item!"

"What do we do?"

"So help me God, I'm going to kill that bitch tomorrow. Don't laugh, I'm dead friggin' serious."

****

Cipu

"Which game do you want to play first?" I asked.

"Anything involving cars, guns, or random destruction."

"Well, that's about seventy percent of the arcade... Hey, I'll race you at Virtual Motorbike."

"Deal."

We both deposited the token fee of 5 zenis, sat on the motorcycle-shaped controls, and started to race. Juunana couldn't keep his foot off the accelerator. He was whooping me bad. 

Well, sucker, eat this!

I accelerated and made a sharp left so as to cross Juu-kun's vehicle. He got visibly mad and yelled, "Eat my dust, Cipu! Ha-ha!"

"Yeah, right." I accelerated some more. "Eat my dust."

"Hey, this is pretty fun!" he yelled. "I think I'm going to kick your ass good..."

Just then, the light flashed and the siren beeped.

WINNER: PLAYER 1.

Juunanagou.

"Ha-ha! Loser!" He laughed.

"Oh, pu-leeze..."

"Okay, sorry about being a poor winner. It's my nature, I have to win."

"I guess... Let's get out of here."

"Why?"

"I'm tired, and my mom says I have to be home by nine."

"Can I drive you?"

Without a moment's hesitation, I replied, "Sure. Let me put the bike into its capsule..."

Which I did. I then hopped into the stolen convertible and gave him directions to my house.

Juu-kun was smiling and driving like a maniac all the way home.

****

Juunanagou

We finally arrived at her house.

No cars were in the driveway; I assumed her mom wasn't home.

"Do you want to come inside?" she asked.

"What for?"

"Um...because." Her eyes shifted like she was up to something.

I was curious what.

"Umm...sure." I parked the car in front of the house.

We went inside, hand in hand, and sat down on the couch.

"I was thinking something at the arcade tonight," she said, her face turning bright red.

"What?"

"I want to get to know you a little better." Her hand brushed against my thigh. She giggled, slightly.

"How so?" I had no clue what she was talking about.

"I want you to make love to me. My mom's not home, no one will know."

"Make...love? What do you mean?"

"I have a picture in one of my mom's medical treatises. You want me to show you?"

"Sure." This couldn't be as bad as kissing, could it?

She got up, grabbed the treatise, and showed me the picture...

I was speechless.

"It's usually used for reproduction in lower mammals, but, for humans, cyborgs included, it is a way of bonding your essence, your soul. It's like a kiss, but a thousand times more intense." She smiled. "Let me escort you to my room. I realize my bed is rickety and twin-sized, but it'll suffice."

She grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs.

****

Cipu

Clothes flew everywhere, his, mine. Before we even knew it, we were on my rickety old bed. Making love.

I knew we were just a couple of kids fooling around, but there was something that told us that this would be of cosmic significance.

I left no trace, no atom, of his being untouched. He responded by gracefully nuzzling my neck. It was amazing to me that he could project his mental feelings onto his insensate physical body.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the feeling. He made me feel like a goddess, a Grand Creatrix. All of his old wounds, his hatred of Gero, became my hatred, his unconditional love for his sister became mine. We were slowly becoming one being, with no name and a shared mind, although I still saw him and he still saw me.

The pleasure, the pain, the sensation was too much for me to bear. My lips opened with a gentle moan at first, then a loud scream.

His body began to shake. He whispered, "Oh, Kami-sama! Cipu, I love you. You are precious. I could be with you forever..."

"Get your clothes on, I'm tired."

"Okay." And so he did. "I hope to see you again, Cipu-sama."

I cried. No guy had ever called me that in my whole life.

"Thank you, Juu-kun...Juunana-sama. Tonight was beautiful. I felt like I was a part of you. I know where the holes in your psyche are, why you hate Gero and love your sister. I learned that tonight."

"And I learned why people want to destroy your being. We know each other now; let's keep it that way." He smiled, not a sarcastic smirk like usual, but a real, genuine smile.

"See you tomorrow in study hall," he said as he left.

I fell asleep, dreaming of that boy.

Juunana-sama.


	7. Mortality and Retribution

The Learning Curve

The Learning Curve

Chapter 7 (the last one!)

****

Cipu

I walked into study hall, like usual. Although this time, I had a pass to go down to the lab. I told the study-hall supervisor that the mice needed observation, but it was a lie. I was drawing plans for New Cipu.

Juunana-sama stopped me at the door.

"Where are you going?"

"The lab. The mice need tending to."

"Okay. I was so busy last night, with you and all, that it nearly slipped my mind to finish my calculus and philosophy assignments. So I'm doing them this period."

"It's okay." I kissed him gently on the cheek.

"I love you," he said. "See you after class."

__

Nuriko hid behind the alcove of lockers, her .45 ready to fire.

"See? There she is! She stole my man! She's dead meat!"

"Shut up, she'll hear you," said one of her friends.

"Who gives a damn? She deserves to die anyway! I've hated her all of my life, and this is my defining moment! I finally get to see her demise!"

Cipu walked unwillingly into their trap.

****

Cipu

I heard a loud bang from behind the locker alcove.

The next thing I knew, several pieces of hot lead seared through my chest and head.

I cried out the only name I could think of in my blood-spattered daze, the only one that meant anything to me.

"Juu-kun! JUUNANA-SAMA!"

****

Juunanagou

I was working through my philosophy assignment when I heard Cipu scream.

I rushed out of study hall to see what was the matter.

Then I saw her, bullet holes in her chest and head, lying in a pool of her own blood, passing in and out of consciousness.

She was going to die.

"Juu-kun," she whispered. "I'll miss you."

"I can wish you back with the dragon balls."

"No use, no use. It's better off for me to die. Don't wish me back; life is torment. You know that. To be mortal is a...pleasure."

With that, her head fell to the floor.

I gathered data on her body. No pulse, no breathing, no brain activity. She was dead.

Nuriko stood behind me. "What's it like to have a dead girlfriend?" she asked in an icy tone of voice. "Now you can date...ME!"

"You stupid bitch!" I screamed. "You killed her!"

"Of course I did." She smirked.

This made absolutely no sense. Humans didn't have programming; nor did they serve Dr. Gero. So why were they so cruel? Why? Was it a game to them, like killing had been a game to me? The rage welled up within me. It grew into a massive energy bomb in the palm of my hand.

I had to take revenge on my beloved Cipu-sama. I just had to.

Then, without warning, I lifted my hand into the air and fired at Nuriko and company.

It blew them to smithereens.

Juuhachi and the principal came running out to see what was the racket.

"So, you are set in your old ways, brother," she smiled.

"YOU! YOU ARE EXPELLED FROM GREEN MEADOWS! BOTH OF YOU!"

"I-I didn't do anything," replied Juuhachi.

"Yeah, right," said the principal. "You orchestrated this whole mess. Killing our beloved Nuriko."

"Sis, let's get back to the Kame House."

"Agreed."

"Don't wait for me...I have to pick up one thing."

I went downstairs, to Cipu's old lab, and got the cage full of artificial mice, which, upon realising the barbarous nature of humans and their society, were my only friends.

Back at the Kame House, I started packing my things.

"Where are you going, Juu-kun?"

"I am going to leave you and this cursed society behind. I can't bear what they did to her. I just can't."

"Will we be on good terms?"

"It depends if you turn traitor and marry that goddamn Shaolin. He could kill anyone, anything. Stupid humans!"

With that I flew out the window, looking for a place of habitation that was far, far away from any human.

After hours of flying, I saw an abandoned log cabin in the mountains. It was in pretty good shape.

I landed on its lawn and began to make myself at home.

I got out my rifles and my clothes and put them in the storage closets of the cabin.

On the mantel of the fireplace, I put the cyborg mice- a reminder of the only human I knew who had transcended her cold, brutal nature, and had found the courage to love me.

I stared at them for hours, days. I remembered when she and I played chess... I remember our first kiss...I remember the feel, the beautiful form of her body that night we made love.

Then something happened.

An abyss formed within my body.

I almost...cried. I would have, had I the mechanisms to do so. Damn Gero!

She was gone.

Humanity had betrayed me yet again by killing her.

I guess I'll stay up here for a while, making a living at hunting or chopping lumber or something, until human beings learn to control themselves.

And I will always remember Cipu.

~*end*~

NOTES

Yeah, this is kinda sappy, and Cipu's kind of a Mary Sue, but she died.

"Deida Cipu" is a pun on "data" and "CPU"… a fitting name for a computer/cybernetics expert.

Juunanagou may be a bit out of character, but that will be remedied with the sequel to The Learning Curve, "Suck My Kiss", which I am currently working on. (And, no, Cipu doesn't get revived. And it's going to be a **BIG** lemon… keep these things in mind.)


End file.
